Silly Sentence Saturday - Part Trois

Here's still more silly sentences to drill during your steno practice session today.

He purports to be a popular porpoise for purposes unknown to him. purports PURPTS, popular PORP, porpoise PORPS, purposes PURPZ,
for purposes FORPZ


Many of the manufacturers modify their manufacturing modifications monthly. many of the MAOFT, manufacturer M-FR, modify MOF,
manufacturing M-FG, modifications MOFGS,
monthly MONL, 
manufacture M-F

I check the database on a daily basis to see if they make any major changes. database DAIBS, daily DAEL, basis BAES, daily basis DAEBS, to see TOZ, major MAIJ

During that time the degree was issued, did you agree or disagree with that decision? during DUR,  that time THA*MT, degree D-G, issued SHUD,
agree -RG, did you agree DURG, disagree D-RG, decision D-GS

We were on a yearly permanent payment schedule earlier. yearly YAOERL, permanent PAMT, payment PAIMT, schedule SKEJ, earlier YAERL

While it's gracious you have caution, being too cautious in this area will get you no congratulations. gracious GRAIRBS, caution KAUGS, cautious KAURBS, congratulations GRAFPGS/-S

The local institute of technology doesn't substitute for most universities, but still constitutes a great education. local LAEL, institute STAOUT,      technology T-J, substitute STUT, constitutes TAOUTS, technological TOJ

Steno, Numbers, & Drills -- Oh, My!

Source

How to practice steno numbers, that is the question. Some people write out their numbers as words and some are devout believers in the number bar. However you decide to do it, make sure that you devote some time during your practice session each day to mastering numbers. We as court reporters have to be not only good at numbers, but also fast at writing them.

Here's some numbers and words practice to write by sight. Do 'em backwards if once isn't enough. Alternating numbers between words and/or hearing them in context is key.

Reading Raw Steno Notes


Okay. As much as I talk about reading my steno notes, I really have not made it a habit since theory and early in speedbuilding. I'm going to practice what I preach in what hopefully is a different, fun way. Here's an excerpt from Practical Pointers for Shorthand Students first in steno, and then in plain English.


Don't Get Fits of the Blues

It is a mistake to think, in taking up the study of shorthand and typewriting that all will be smooth sailing.  Periods of depression are sure to come, when storms of discouragement will sweep down and clouds of disappointment will almost drive away all hope of success.  There may be times when you will think you are making no progress, but don't get these fits of the blues.  On those occasions, instead of giving way to your discouragement, spend the time in overcoming the difficulties that have beset you.  You will find the difficulties that seemed almost to overwhelm you have melted away like dim shadows.  Don't have fits of the blues!  Have confidence in your teacher, in your shorthand system, and in your own ability, for the difficulties you overcome add immeasurably to your strength and make the final only seem the more sweet.

Like this post? Click here to read more raw steno.

Free Steno Drills & Dictation

Here are some free steno dictation resources, audio drills, and 4-voice drills that are new to me. Some were shared by a Facebook friend. Happy practicing! Be one with your machine. ;)

Video

180 Stairstepping with Magic Drill 180 - 240 wpm court reporting drill. Whew! What a work-out. Good stuff focusing on little words and teaches us to drop early and stay up on the speaker. Not writing at 180? Not a problem. See my blog post on how to slow down YouTube videos.

Steno Speedbuilding for 180s with Steve Shastay More good stuff! Designed for 170 or 180 students, but anyone can speed it up or slow it down using link above.

Hardcopy

Huntington Junior College Some good hardcopy drills and steno help videos.

Mastering Machine Shorthand 800 Most Common Depo Phrases

Links to my other posts on free dictation here, here, and here.

First Court Reporting Internship Hour -- Mock Depo

A few weeks ago, one of my teachers approached me and a couple other students about reporting a mock deposition that would count toward my internship hours.  The purpose of the exercise, she said, was to show the new lawyers how they looked in print.  I quickly typed up a response saying that I'd do it, clicked send, and before I knew what had hit me, I was committed.  I'm the type of person who believes in going with their first instinct, though, so I came to the conclusion that this would be a great experience.  Here is how it went from start to finish.

I arrived at the law office at least a half hour early and told the administrative assistant I was there to report a mock deposition.  She directed me to a large conference room that looked out over the city skyline.  There were tables at either end of the room that held pitchers overflowing with juice and plates full of giant donuts.  Mmmmm... donuts.


All joking aside, though, I was too nervous to eat. ;)

Then I picked a seat, set up my equipment, and began warming up.  When the lawyers arrived, I introduced myself and asked the names of the parties in this case and created a seating chart on paper.  When we were ready to begin, I swore in the witness.  I went through the oath flawlessly, but forgot to have them raise their right hand with me.  Definitely won't forget that one again!

The lawyers at the deposition talked pretty fast for me, but it showed me what I need to work on.  Next time, I will interrupt when it gets too fast instead of trying to rely on the audio.  I was just so nervous, though, and everything I thought I knew went out the window other than my brain telling my fingers to write.  The funniest part?  I found out at the end of the first one that I had written Mr. Schmidt as Mr. /SHEUT throughout the whole depo.  Lather, rinse, and repeat with one more witness and questioning attorney.


Sitting down to edit has taught me so much about punctuation and has forced me to get better and smarter at using my CAT software.  I started using some hyperkeys I wasn't aware of before, and most importantly, I started defining my slop as \word\word in Eclipse so it translates but still flags me to check it in the transcript with the C hyperkey.

One piece of advice I have for editing is to do one thing at a time.  Define all untranslates on the first pass, then go back for periods and question marks, and then do another pass for commas and semicolons, etc.  Break it down into little tasks, and then it doesn't seem so overwhelming.  I turned in the final transcripts today, and am already thinking about the next one.  Bring it on!

Silly Sentences Saturday Returns

It's baaack!  Here's more nonsense sentences to practice today.

My favorite steno snack has the very same shelf life as the next thickest peanut butter. favorite FAIVT

It is evident what evidence is relevant from what they tell me. evident *EFT relevant R*EFT evidence *EFD tell me T*EM

What two experimental computer games dwell where we undoubtedly find more new things in our air? experimental SKPERMT/TAL undoubtedly NOULT in our NOUR

The standard proposed requirements appropriate for retirement start the process to make him whole. standard STARD proposed PROEPD requirements RAOIRMTS appropriate PROEPT retirement RE/TAOIRMT process PROS

Did anybody think anyone knows anything about those nine spry court reporting theory students from this year?
theory THAOER students STAOUNZ from this FR-TSDZ

What type of tight-fitting fill pipe will switch the fight to those mainly found in between followers on Twitter? mainly MAINL followers FOL/ERZ Twitter TW*IRT
(and you might as well add Facebook! FA*IB)

Every American finds they must be simply wondering about the precedent-setting recession and its recovery. must be MUB wondering WORNGD precedent PR-PBT setting SEGT recession REFGS recovery ROIVR

Numbers and Words

For your steno practicing pleasure, here's a number and words practice piece and a few briefs to go along with it. Write each number and word, and once you get through the whole thing, try working it backwards.

remain RAIM
China KHAOIN
active TIF
tuition TWIGS
native NAIFT
justify JUF
decision D-GS
Johnson JONS
Wisconsin WI
faster FA*RS
possession PEGS
transition TRANGS
translation TRALGS

And for an added bonus, how about writing 51-54 with -SZ for the ending?  DANSZ, PRANSZ, TENSZ, BOUNSZ This concept applies to so many words!

Want more drills like this? Go here.

Busy Week

Just have to check in and announce that I passed my second 170 Literary test as of Thursday, so just two more tests left to pass in that category!

Monday was my very first mock deposition ever, and I think it went smoothly, all things considered. Now I'm working on the transcript so I can deliver it this Monday. Will share details about my experience once I'm done with the transcript!